In simmering war over NASA’s commercial crew program, Congress strikes back

The quiet war between NASA and Congress continues over the space agency’s desire to fully fund its commercial crew program, which supports efforts by SpaceX and Boeing to develop crewed spacecraft.

On Wednesday NASA announced that the first human mission of its Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft, designed to go into deep space, could slip two yearsto 2023. Just 15 minutes after this news conference ended Lamar Smith, a Texas Republican who chairs the House Science Committee, blasted NASA and the White House for this potential delay.

“Once again, the Obama administration is choosing to delay deep space exploration priorities such as Orion and the Space Launch System that will take U.S. astronauts to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. While this administration has consistently cut funding for these programs and delayed their development, Congress has consistently restored funding as part of our commitment to maintaining American leadership in space.”

This response provided new clarity in the battle lines between Congress and the White House over space budget issues. It’s commercial crew (White House) versus future exploration (Congress).

For reasons I explained in August, anyone who cares a whit about human exploration should be outraged that Congress isn’t fully funding commercial crew. From the public’s vantage point, funding commercial crew now seems a no-brainer. The program supports American companies building low-cost launch vehicles that will end our dependence on Russia to get into space.

However there are reasons for Congressional opposition. On one hand Republicans don’t want to hand President Obama a victory. A successful commercial crew program, for all of President Obama’s lack of a vision with regard to space, is a worthy legacy. Additionally, some Republicans in Congress aren’t exactly eager for the private sector to prove it can build cheap space vehicles when it would take the NASA centers in their districts a lot more time and money to do so.

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden responds to a question during a Senate hearing. (NASA)

This war has been simmering for years, but it has really heated up this year. In an excellent interview by SpaceNews’ Jeff Foust with Charles Bolden, the NASA administrator tried to downplay any animosity between NASA and Congress. Don’t buy it. Charlie tried to play nice with Congress for several years, but has tired of that game. The gloves are off. Sources in Congress and at NASA tell me that what Bolden wants more than anything else is commercial crew, and he’s fighting for it every way imaginable. It’s become quite partisan.

What was interesting about Smith’s statement yesterday is that it offered some of the first public response by Republicans to Bolden’s efforts. Sure, commercial crew is important, Republicans are saying, and we’re willing to provide more funding than ever (indeed the House’s authorization bill provides full funding, whereas the appropriations bill does not). But also, they say, look how badly this administration is setting back future exploration beyond low-Earth orbit. In that sense, the delay to 2023 of NASA’s exploration vehicles played right into Republican hands.

It’s an interesting strategy. It may work, and it may not. In truth, it may not have to. Congress controls NASA’s budget. Absolutely.

Bolden is playing a dangerous game by poking Congress in the eye. On Wednesday, Congress indicated that it’s not inclined at this time to back down. Meanwhile, American astronauts had best continue to learn to speak Pусский.